Improved railway-car coupling



Net 98,958..

A. S. HART.

Car Coupling.

Patented Dec. 21, 1869.

cited fits-tee ntent (tfijiitc.

Letters Patent No. 98,058, dated December 21, 1869.

IMPROVED RAILWAY-CAR COUPLING-.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

[a all whomit may concern Be it known that I, ALBERT S. HART, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new Oar-Coupling; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are suiiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains, to make and use my said invention or improvements, without further invention or experiment.

rfiy invention relates to that class of car-couplings known as automatic or self-couplers; and

It consists in so arranging the mechanism that the coupling-pin will be held in a posit-ion from which it will drop through the link as soon as the latter is inserted.

The mechanism consists of a plate fastened horizontally to the upper side of the opening in the head or hunter, and having a hole through it in a line with the holes above and below, throughwhich the pin mu pass.

Two sliding plates move backward and forward over this first plate, one above and the other below; the upper one being pierced, so that when moved backward it will allow the pin to pass through it, while the lower plate overlaps far enough to intercept the pin.

A fourth plate is hinged to the first one, so that it stands at an angle, the lower end being weighted and resting near the back part of the chamber in the head. This plate is raised to a position nearly parallel with the others by the introduction of the link, and, by means of a connecting-arm, the lower sliding plate is movedforward at the same time, so as to allow the pin to drop through the link and couple the cars.

It the pin be drawn before the cars are separated, the upper sliding plate will be moved forwardby a spring independent of the lower one, and the pin can be left resting on this upper one, and, after the link is withdrawn by the separation of the cars, the pin will be leit in position to couple again.

To more fully explain my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the coupling.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the plates with the link inserted.

A is the head or hunter, which is attached to the car, and has an opening, B, into which the link 0 passes; and it also contains the mechanism that renders it self-coupling.

This mechanism consists of a plate, D, which is attached to the upper part of the chamber .13, and has a hole, a, large enough to admit the coupling-pin E.

Above the plate D is a sliding plate, F, and below it is another sliding plate, G, both perforated.

Two lugs, 0, project downward from F, through slots'in the plate D, andrest against the back end of the plate G, so that when G is drawn backward F must move with it, but 13 may be moved back without G if the resistance of the spring H is overcome.

This spring rests, one end against the upright d, and the other against the side of the plate F, its tendency being to move the plate forward.

The lugs c and, e, passing through slots in the plate D, serve to guide the two sliding plates in their movements.

A fourth plate, I, is hinged to the plate D, and extends downward and backward, as shown, and has a weight, J, onthe lower end. I

An arm, K, is hinged, one end within this block, at g, and the other end to the plate G, at c, sothat when the link 0 enters and raises the plate I, the plate G is moved forward.

The operation of my coupling is as follows: I -The weight J being in the position represented, the pin B will pass through the plates 13 and D, and rest on the edge of the hole in the plate G.

When the ling 0 passes in, it raises the plate I, and, by means of the arm K, the plate G is moved forward, so as to let the pin drop through the link, and the coupling is completed.

If the pin is to be drawn so as to leave the cars in condition to be separated, the spring H will force the plate 1* so far forward that the pin will rest on the edge of the opening, as shown in fig. 2, where it will remain till the link is drawn, when the weight J will fall and bring the plates into the position shown in fig. 1, and the pinwill drop, so as to rest as there shown, on the edge of the plate G, and will he in readiness to again couple the cars.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and arrangement of the sliding 'plates G and F, the latter being provided with the spring (Z and lugs c, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the plates G and I the hinged plate I, arm K, and weight J, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I h.ve hereunto set my hand and seal.

ALBERT S. HART. [L- 5.]

Witnesses: I

J. L. BooNE, Gno. H. STRONG. 

